Morning brought the end of her patrol but it was not yet time to seek her rest. No, she made an oath to Raisa, and she could not sleep without knowing she had made a start. She could not sleep knowing that Raisa's children would be missing their mother when they deserved to know. Stalking solemnly to the rock garden with its boulders, she chose one that would seat her just above the other wolves, that she could be seen and heard without towering over them, and leaped up to settle herself there. Turning silver eyes dull with tiredness and unaccustomed emotion to the sky, she sent a wordless prayer to the gods for strength, for courage, and for the wisdom to do as she needed to fulfill her oath. Her jaws parted to sing out a summons. It was early morning yet, but not so early that the pack should still be asleep. She expected to see them all, from the eldest of the sols down to the youngest pups, and if they failed to appear they would regret it. The pack had grown lax in Raisa's absence, but she would not dishonor her friend by allowing it to continue that way beneath her leadership. Ending her call, Katja lowered her head to keep watch for the pack's appearance. OOC: This meeting is mandatory for all Ebony wolves who have not already left the pack. Deadline will be Sunday the 28th at noon. Be there, or be eaten by vikings. * note - no one will be eaten, but there will be punishments for failing to show.

Pain, was the only thing he felt. The unbearable pain, and suffering inside of his head and heart. Playing over and over again like a broken harp inside of his brain. There was nowhere left to turn, there was no one left. It had been okay after his mate died, he had been healing. And he had felt safe, but the indescribable feeling that coursed through his veins in those very moments was like a deadly plague worse than the one that had ravaged the land. Of course, he had to think of the pups, he had to. But his body wanted to shut down so rapidly. It wanted to curl into the darkest of caves and just shrivel into a husk until it was swept away by the midnight winds. These were all the things he felt as he thought of how Raisa was gone. How everything he trusted in had betrayed him, the universe, the world. It had let him down countless times, and he was no about to just let it have its way. He was done crying, he was done hurting. It was true.... there were no more tears left for him to cry. Hajime had turned bitter. He had made an oath on his blood to Ebony, and now he was determined to keep that oath. As Katja made her call, red orbs would open in a fluttering motion of his relaxed sleep. Children curled in and around him in five bundles of fur. So young, and yet they were lost, cursed, by his own blood. Hajime rose to his paws, feeling his muscles painfully move reminding him that he was alive unlike the others who had passed on without him. Passing over the children quietly like a ghost he found the woman with ease. Though made no attempt to say anything, he was silent and looked like he was about ready to rip the throats out of anyone who approached him. He was done trying to be nice. Only the souls of his children would know the kindness that was once Hajime Walker. He felt no need to explain himself to anyone anymore. He had tried being the good person, but that had gotten him nowhere. He had no place anymore, he could try to make one. But that was only if Katja would allow him to do so. Speech,

No light, no light in your bright blue eyes

I never knew daylight could be so violent

Apparently near death experiences could be good for the soul. After nearly being eaten by a bear Sigmarr was in much better spirits. Partly do to Katja's call. If anyone could make things right again it was her and the unusual stranger that had rescued him? well? he was hopeful. Something about the other males eyes. The shade was so close to his. And Baldur had confessed to knowing Raisa. But maybe he was being stupid. He'd had no father this whole time, was convinced he didn't need one so why get his hopes up about it now? ? probably because Raisa was gone and he now felt like he had no parents. Virgil was going to visit but he only saw her once in a blue moon and ohh man? Virgil. How was he going to tell her?


Sigmarr slipped into the meeting, the older male just behind him. Baldur had howled as they'd entered into the terra so he hoped Katja wouldn't be too mad that Sigmarr was just letting this man waltz right in but? well.. he had just saved Sigmarr's life. The pup frowned. Crap! Not even a yearling and he was already in a life debt!


"Hey Katja." He spoke softly, far from his usual exuberance at seeing his respected teacher. "I guess mom told you she was leaving? Val's gone too. She left to try and find mom and bring her back but.. I'm worried I'll never see her again." He struggled with the tears. Fought as best he could. Warmth spread through his left side as he felt the reassurance from Baldur. "Oh, this? is my friend. He saved me from a bear. I didn't mean to wander off like that. I'm sorry."


"Speech"

A revelation in the light of day

You can't choose what stays and what fades away

ooc: will post soon with Baldur, if some one beats me he's got a badly torn scruff and is making a mess. xD

Baldur walked just slightly behind the pup partly do to his wound but mostly because he struggled to mentally process everything that had just happened. He'd managed to save the pup from a bear attack. Four deep gashes now spread across his scruff and he doubted even his fluffy coat would mask these scars. Especially not with the blood staining his pelt so vibrantly. But he could worry about his wounds later. At the moment he just wanted to get Raisa's son safely home. "You should stay with him." Baldur winced slightly. He was aware of the ever growing possibility that Sigmarr was his son. He was the right age, he had no father, he was Raisa's, his eye color was similar, his markings? he had Baldur's eye patch it was?. it was uncanny. Baldur swallowed feeling suddenly nauseous. Spirits alive was he a father? An apparently piss poor one at that. "If she wasn't in heat there's no way you could've known? but? I think you should stay. If Raisa is indeed gone. Baldur they need their family." He knew Linnea? was right but it felt weird leaving Thor and Loki. They each had a family but unlike these pups they had no pack. It was two adults fending for a wealth of pups though he supposed both Ullr and Dyani were old enough to help out. Maybe they'd chance pack life again? He doubted it but still. Linne? had a point. Especially if these were his pups! He couldn't walk out on them like this. Not now. And even if they weren't his? well? Baldur paused at the border, offering a short howl before continuing on. Normally he had the common sense to wait but the sooner he had Sigmarr back home the better he'd feel. The woman who had called the meeting was not one he reconized. A stern, dark-colored femme. As Sigmarr talked Baldur moved softly forward, gently offering himself for the pup to lean into. He couldn't imagine this was easy for the boy. "M'am I'm Baldur Hroovinisson. I? knew Raisa a long while back." He took a deep breath. Was he really doing this? "And if it's not too much trouble I'd like to join the pack. I only ask that I be allowed to leave for a time to notify my siblings and their families if I'm accepted. I am a capable hunter but my skills lie in battle. I was trained young and? aggressively in the arts of battle. I will prove my worth to you if need be." "Speech"

*notes: Linne? is a hallucination of Baldur's slain lover

Walk | Talk | Think With the coming of the cure for the epidemic Anais had been feeling more and more like herself. No longer was she burdened by the prospect of losing both her mother and brother to illness, or of somehow losing pieces of them as their thoughts and vision had been affected as well. She could still recall peering into the sick den to watch them, listening to her mother ramble what sounded like nonsense. Seeing them recovering and beginning to act as they had before becoming sick, as if they they had never been sick to begin with, she knew that her family would be returning to normal soon. It was with this brightness, this hope, in her heart that she traveled away from the snowy fields that surrounded the lake to the Rock Garden, following the call of the woman who had led the hunting training alongside her mother. It did not cross her mind that it would be odd for them to be called together by someone who was not their leader - Vaughan had called a meeting too and he had not been ruling either - and neither did the serious look upon the darkly colored woman's face seem out of place. She had given off the impression of one very serious, more so even than Anais's own mother, but that did not mean in the gold-girl's mind that she should have been alarmed. None of her family members had yet arrived - Ha! I win! - so Anais wandered over to the group with a friendly wag of her tail and a smile, her yellow-gold gaze scanning from Katja seated atop the boulder to the two wolves and the pup, one of the wolves which looked unfamiliar and apart from Ebony. As well as bleeding somewhere along the back of his neck. It seemed as if he had words for Katja and not wanting to eavesdrop and seem nosy the girl stopped away from them and seated herself to wait for her family while casting curious glances at those present as she did so.

Walk | Talk | Think

Slowly but surely Callisto had been getting her health and strength back, at first taking her time about it but then pushing on in her healer training with renewed gusto. She needed to be better. The epidemic that had stolen through the territory had set her back, proving to her that not only was she just as susceptible to catching diseases as anyone despite her growing knowledge but driving the point home by rendering her useless and unable to do anything in the form of learning as she so often spent her days. Now that Callisto's mind was her own again, she was irritated with it all, set in a sour mood by the sickness, and had not spoken to another healer since while she got herself back on her paws.

She had half a mind to avoid the meeting that was being called together if for no other reason than she really did not want to sit around with everyone knowing she was so behind in her training, but there was little to be done about it. The Lords and Ladies of the pack had just about as much authority as Queen Raisa did with as few high ranking wolves as the pack had, and she feared not showing might be construed as her being still unwell or even unfit now to take up the position that she so longed to keep as one of the Solas.

With reluctance, she traveled from the Steppe where she had her den to the Rock Garden, winding a path through them toward the figure of Katja that she could see seated above the gathering Ebony wolves. Her flat stare of indifference seemed to fit the solemn mood that hung over the group, though one of those present still sported an oblivious smile. Callisto stayed clear of the girl, having already deemed the other girl's brightness to be irritating at the very least, and surveyed instead the others. The Ebon Knight Hajime was present, looking more brooding than she remembered him being, along with one of Raisa's pups and another stranger...who was bleeding.

She may not have wanted to be there, but the sight of someone possibly in need of her healer's assistance made her forget it enough to be curious. Her silvery blue eyes narrowed as she peered at the wolf as he stood before Katja, the young Sigmarr close by, but she did not approach. Instead she took a seat somewhere among but separate from the wolves already gathered and watched Katja with the stranger, ready to step forward if necessary but willing to wait until she was required.

They would be coming any day. Devya was starting to get rather wide, and he wondered if they would ever catch Raisa before they entered the world. Such questions would arouse within him when he heard a call for a meeting, not called by Raisa. He would grumble slightly as he nudged his very pregnant mate out of her slumber. He would help her up and out of the den, leaning into her side as they walked to the meeting place. Already a few wolves had gathered, his curiosity was still running rampant as he would sit on the outskirts of the circle. He would nuzzle Devya protectively as his haunches coiled beneath him and he waited for the woman to announce what might be going on. I can talk!

Walk | Talk | Think

The hunt that Tahlia had conducted alongside Katja had opened the woman's eyes to just how out of practice she had grown regarding on land catches. Her expertise had always been below the surface of a lake or river, with the fish that made their home there. She could swim well, could wait out even the most stubborn of fish, and make a meal out of just what she could find in the water. But out of it? She needed work. Her tracking had been decent enough but she had grown slow, slower than she found acceptable for herself. The proud female had been working on that, tracking the little animals that wandered through the snowy territory and attempting to sneak up on them even when she was not hungry. It had been helping, but practice made perfect and she intended to keep at it.

Despite her desire for the pups to stay little for as long as they could - Anais, Jakart, and Nako had all grown so fast, she hated to think that Lior and Kailos would be the same within the blink of an eye - she was allowing them more freedom. Katja had noticed that many of them were old enough to begin training and taking up a task to focus on so she allowed them better freedom to figure out what they wanted to learn, where their talents lay hidden. And she was using that time away from them to better herself as well, all the while promising herself that it would be better for them all in the long run.

She was tracking, nose quivering as it fluttered above the ground, when her ears perked with the sound of Katja's call. Tahlia's dark gold eyes were cast in the direction of the call and then back at the ground, testing again the scent she had been following. No, she should go. There would always be little things to follow and hunt later. Giving up on the scent she had been following, she loped over to the location where Katja sat above the gathered pack members atop a short boulder, catching sight of her daughter already sitting and waiting for the meeting to begin. Tahlia felt proud to see her there already and walked over to her side. "How are you, my dear?" she asked quietly, reaching forward to nose her daughter's cheek affectionately as she sat beside her. As she did so, she realized in that moment that she was nearly even in height with her. How quickly children grew.

The raven black male would be the first healer to arrive aside from his student Callisto. The fact that Katja had been the one to call him hadn't made him think anything of Raisa except for the fact that she was probably busy. The look on the high ladies face made him think otherwise.

There was something wrong and he knew by the face of a woman who usually showed no expression aside from what seemed to him as irritation. He wanted to know what it was and he wanted to know now however he knew pressing the woman for information would do him no good.

In the meantime he would smile at his student before making himself useful. The wounds on the rogue needed to be tended to sadly this was the one time he had decided not to bring his herbs with him. Silently he would curse himself. "Katja, after the meeting I can and will patch that up for him if you ok it"

Ooc:: Permission to PP Hajime from Seimi.

Though he had made the call, seeking acceptance, yet another call would rise upon the air. He was surprised, but it made sense as to why no one had come to answer. A pack meeting was called, and no doubt the alphess would be busy sorting ranks and such within the pack. The calico male would give a soft sigh and then make his way into the territory. It was trespassing, really, but it was to seek acceptance within the meeting. Dark eyes did not focus, but he moved along, seeking his purpose here. Surely Hajime would be there, as well as his second nieces and nephews. That would be nice to see, at least. Allen would walk on until a gathering of wolves was found. A woman sitting upon something above the others was undoubtedly the one who called forth this meeting. Allen would focus on her, but he would see his nephew as well, coming to sit close to him. He was but a stranger in these lands, a male who was foreign to them all. But he had hopes that he might be able to provide some useful skills to the pack. He would dip his head to the woman, soft words coming from him in a respectful tone. ?My lady, I am Allen Walker, Hajime?s uncle. I wish..." The male would trail off as his nephew whispered to him, telling him to stop. Confusion would pass his face, and he glanced back to the alphess. "It seems I need to speak with my nephew before I say more. My deepest apologies for this conduct..." "Speech", 'Thought'

It was odd, and there were some sort of happenings going on right now. She could feel it, the change, even if she didn?t know fully what it was. Raisa had not been the one to call the most recent meeting, but it was the high lady Katja who would make the call, and she would leave the plants she had been sorting to seek out the meeting site. She was still learning, and didn?t really know what most of the plants she had found were, but Lior planned to ask Adelaide about them at some point. She didn?t yet know the uniquely marked white woman was pregnant... She hadn?t seen her since the hunt. But that was okay... She was sure that the healer would be making her presence seen here in the meeting.

Two members of her family had already arrived at the pack meeting. Anais, her older sister, and her mother were the two that were present. The gray girl would step lightly upon the snow, moving slowly to their sides. Fuzzy blue eyes would look up to her mother, a smile gracing her face. She really wanted to spend a bit more time with her mother as well, and hoped that, perhaps, if there was time after the meeting she could do so. The girl would settle beside Tahlia as she greeted her. ?Good to see you, mom.? Of course she wouldn?t forget about her sister either, and she flashed her older sibling a grin. ?...and you too, Anais.? Then gaze would flick to Katja, waiting for the meeting to commence so they could all see what news and announcements would be shared.

She had been searching since a couple hours before the sun rose. Her mother was gone... Missing from the den, and Svetlana had the strong sense that something was just... Wrong. The disappearance was not normal, she knew, and so the frantic search had begun. Korrin looked with her, dutiful and strong, though it was becoming more and more apparent that Raisa had left Ebony lands. Why? Why had she left, yet again? Were they not worthy enough to be her children? Were they... Disappointments to her? Svetlana had finally come to rest as the sun came over the horizon, worry gripping her, her mind already assuming the worst. First Vaughan had become scarce... And now her mother too...? No... It... It couldn?t be the truth! The call of the viking woman, Katja, was what rose her. The chubby girl would trudge through the snow, companion following after her with worried gaze. The call was not of her mother, and that told her all the more that something had happened. Her mother was gone. She... She wasn?t coming back, was she? Svetlana felt like crying, but for now the princess held back her tears. There would be a time for sorrow later, a time for mourning the loss. Her mother had been the surrogate of a litter just before leaving... It... Was it their fault? They had been the children of her close friend. She would shiver, giving a deep sigh as she came upon the scene. She wouldn?t bother getting close, paying no mind to anyone. Not Sigmarr, not Katja... No one. The girl would flop into the snow, just kind of dropping with depression. Blue orbs would flick to the viking woman, full of sadness. She expected what was to come... But she didn?t want to have that happen. Didn?t want to hear the news that would confirm without a doubt what her heart knew. The fox would curl beside her friend, looking at the black ticked woman for answers, hoping and praying that she would clear things up... Give some sort of solution for the problem that lay ahead of them now. "Talk" "You" Think

A call reached her ears, only vaguely registering. Ares would stir beside her, causing eyes to flutter open sleepily. It seemed as though she spent her days sleeping, or trying to, but the discomforts of pregnancy kept sleep at bay. She would watch Ares rise before doing the same, slipping out of the den with him. She would take a moment to stretch, waking up stiff joints before leaning against him. Her sides swelled, and her back swayed. It seemed like the longest walk of her life to the meeting, but she wondered why Raisa wasn't calling the meeting. When they arrived, others had already gathered, waiting patiently for the meeting to be begin. She would dip her head in greeting, before taking a seat beside Ares, leaning against him, exhaustion written all over her face. Talk like this

Aiko slowly followed her daddy into the the meeting that had been called. As she followed Hajime she couldn?t help but look around at all the wolves that had gathered. ?Hey daddy? Whats going on? Who are all these people?? Aiko soon noticed another pup and quickly hurried over.

It was Svetlana. ?Hi Svetlana! I wasn?t expecting to see you here! How are you doing?? Aiko wanted to play with the other pup but she didn?t wanna appear rude and just start hopping around.

?I?ve never seen so many wolves gathered in one place before have you? Its kind of cool but scary at the same time.? Aiko would look around then laid down next to Svetlana she would feel a lot better if she could have someone close to her own age next to her as the clan meeting went on.

The howl echoed across Ebony. And Bane heard it. As much as it pissed him off he definitely heard it.?His family had been here four season plus change, and already there had been four meetings. Either it meant instability or just that his pups kept being called away. Bane would pin his ears and give a frustrated whine whenever that happened, but this meeting was different. It was not Raisa that called, but Katja. Something had happened. Though how dire the elder couldn't say. His sons situated in front of him looked at their father, Kailos shifting on his paws eagerly, Jakart giving a tilt of his head in the direction of the call, Nako's ears splayed flat in annoyance. Bane sighed and made for the meeting grounds. Every jumped up shit with a high rank was throwing howls about Ebony it seemed...

The four wolves left the lake in a hurry, the field of boulders in the distance eyed for the shifting forms of packmates. A few were there already. Bane huffed as he took the lead ahead of his sons, through the mountain forest to it's thinning edge when the rock field began. The boulders were meandered through, Bane checking regularly to see if Kailos was still keeping up with them. The sounds of the meeting and greeting of wolves were heard up ahead. His family was sought after, the pale wolf finding Tahlia and her two daughters already here. The four males all made their way to them, Bane giving a nip on his mates ear as he sat down and waiting for the news.

A howl would brake the eerie silence that Ebony now possessed. Vaughan had grown tired and even the sickness took the toll on he; but soon it was cured. He would stand, ebony curls hanging from his large mass. The man would quickly make his way over, eager to know why it wasnt Raisa that called, but a familiar voice- Katja. The woman he promoted to high lady, but now something felt off. A sigh would escape his lips, hoping it really wasnt what he was thinking. Though he wouldnt be kept wondering for long, seeing that it was Katja; standing like a queen should. In the moment Vaughan could really brake down, Raisa was the main part of his life, for so long he had searched for her, for what? Has she disapeared again? But this time by choice! Nothing would escape his lips as he'd walk past the group of wolves. Until finally his main focus was on the queen only. His gaze held no empathy nor saddness, just emptiness that he thought he never had. " Katja? What is the meaning of this? Wheres Raisa? My Raisa!" His voice would almost break, was there still a place for him here? Did he want to be here? For now he really didnt know.

image by Luisiana

Entering the meeting, Sindri paused to survey the wolves gathered before taking a seat some distance from the others. She did not want to be there. She didn't care what Katja or anyone else had to say. Only for the name of Ebony was she there and even then her convictions regarding it were shaken. Should anyone lay eyes on the young Ebon, their gaze would be returned with a bitter, unwavering stare. She wanted the world to know she was pissed, but the ability to scream escaped her. Instead she oozed resentment; every inch of her being silently screaming her hurt. The young wolf's eyes darted around those gathered, daring someone to approach her. Today she would not be soothed. Her required presence was given, but just barely and her attention was hers to give or withhold; she hadn't decided which. It truly didn't matter. Her mother was gone and the world was cold. Speaking - - Thinking

The snowy woman wasn't quite sure of anything anymore. Nature had betrayed her. She had conceived pups out of her season. Much of her time was now spent resting in her den, a constant look of empty bewilderment on her visage. How could this have happened to her? What were the odds? Adelaide heaved a sigh and watched her growing abdomen rise and fall, the threat of tears arising in her eyes. Her mother would have been ashamed. This was pathetic.

It only made her day worse when the maiden caught the echo of a call sounding out through the lands. And now there was a meeting. One that sounded urgent, and she would be expected to attend. Adelaide felt her cheeks set ablaze at the thought of showing herself to the rest of the pack. No one needed to see her like this and make rumors. It was embarrassing. She was one of the most experienced healers in the pack - it was shameful to present herself in this manner. But it was mandatory.

With a broken little sob, the lady would push herself off the ground and begin walking to the meeting grounds. Elijah would soon accompany her as he always did, saying nothing about her current state but only caressing her fur with the tip of his wing. This did provide the maiden with some comfort, and she took a deep breath, signs of her sadness vanishing into the snow as she approached the rest of the pack.

Intelligent blue eyes surveyed the situation, hearing calm words and angry outbursts as Katja addressed them from her little stone perch. This much was clear - Raisa was gone. What would Ebony do now? The white female strode carefully into the scene, avoiding stares as best she could, and seated herself to await any instructions.

"Adelaide Speech"
"Elijah Speech"

Kassander was woken by the call. He hadn't slept well that night, plagued by nightmares and discomfort. Waking in the den he'd long shared with his mother and siblings when he wasn't with Elsa (Oh, Elsa, if you were here you'd be able to tell me how to fix this) his ears flicked toward the sound of the high lady Katja's voice. It hadn't been very long since she'd called all the young wolves together to talk about training... so what was this? He yawned and stretched as he listened, vaguely aware that his mother and siblings were gone. The meeting seemed to be for the whole pack, which was odd. Vaughan had called meetings for the pack before, when Raisa was sick, but Katja never had. She'd always only ever called the people she actually needed. Was she going to announce their mentors? Why wasn't Raisa calling them then? Curious and more than a little unnerved, the young Xanilov trotted out to the group gathered there. His brow knotted when he realized that his mother wasn't there, and while Sindri and Svet and Sigmarr were all there Val wasn't either. Sigmarr was up talking to Katja with a stranger - the scent of blood came from a bleeding wound on the stranger's scruff, and Kassander silently returned to his den, so close to the meeting anyway, to fetch some cobwebs. He maneuvered through the assembled pack to offer them silently to Maximous. They would help stop the bleeding anyway, even if the wound would still need to be cleaned and poulticed after the meeting, then he retreated to sit beside Svet. Why did she look so sad? What was going on? What had he missed by oversleeping? "Talk" "You" Think

There was a subdued atmosphere as wolves began arriving. Did they already know of Raisa's absence somehow, or was it just her own mood dampening their spirits? Sigmarr's approach with a stranger caught her complete attention as the blood-scent on the stranger permeated the rock garden. Sigmarr's softly spoken words sent a knife through Katja's chest - Val was gone too? Only a few hours ago had she given Raisa her word she would take care of the children, and already she had lost one. She could say nothing past the self-recriminations and sense of impending doom, but she rested her muzzle across the boy's shoulders and lightly drew him into a hug. Rare was it that Katja offered such physical comfort, but she found herself needing it as much as the boy, if not more. What was she to do? The presence of the boy's savior was not forgotten. She raised her gaze to his pale face and despite her disconcerting emotions her eyes narrowed speculatively. From this angle he could almost be Sigmarr as an adult - the same build, the same black eye patch. Except for the red he inherited from Raisa, even his coloring was the same as this male. But she said nothing, for he had made no claims. Was this the work of the gods, then? "You have my everlasting gratitude. I would be pleased to welcome you to Ebony, Baldur Hroovitnisson," she murmured quietly. "You will have your time to speak with your family." One of the few remaining healers, the male called Maximous, made an offer to see to the wounded warrior after the meeting, and Katja nodded to him. "That would be appreciated, Maximous." Her eyes followed Kassander as he offered something to the healer before falling back into the bulk of the pack, and she nodded her gratitude to him. Another stranger approached, coming to sit near Hajime. He introduced himself as Hajime's uncle, but was cut off from saying more by a whisper from Hajime. Her eyes narrowed at the pair of them, her face otherwise expressionless. People did not get a free pass to intrude on meetings simply because they had family there. This was Ebony business... but perhaps it did not matter. This news would find it's way to the other packs eventually, what difference did it make how much sooner it happened? She just inclined her head at the elder wolf. While she'd been preoccupied, more wolves had appeared silently, including Svetlana and the family of wolves tied to the elderly wolf Bane. Her gaze lingered on Svetlana a moment before her attention was drawn away by Vaughan's approach. His words, heartbroken words in a cracked voice, touched her own pain, woke it, but she kept it buried, meeting his eyes with understanding without flaunting her own. Her gaze swept the assembly. Her eyes stopped briefly on the healer Adelaide, seeing the bulge in her sides that spoke of pups, but her face held no condemnation, just recognition before she moved on - they would speak later, but now was certainly not the time. It appeared that all the pack wolves were there, so they all might as well hear this at once. "Raisa is gone," her voice rang out over the silent wolves. "She found me this night on patrol. I do not know where she has gone - she did not say, nor did she say when she would return. I have given her my oath, to care for Ebony," she paused, her gaze lingering between Raisa's four remaining pups, "and her children. That I will do, until she does return or until her pups are of age to take what is their heritage by right. Valeriya is with her mother." She paused to allow her words to sink in before continuing, flicking her glance at Sigmarr, hoping he would find comfort in the idea, or at least have the sense to not say anything. The pack would be on edge enough without knowing that their heir could be anywhere. "Most will remain the same as before, for I will preserve Ebony as Raisa intended it, for her children. Your ranks... I will rename them, as I still struggle with your language and it would ease organization for me, but they will remain the same. Ebons will be thegn and their squires called dreng, Solas be eir with squires called skald. The children of the Xanilov line will be kynsl??, the children of nobles kind, and the children of the pack barn. Likely all will keep current ranks unless they wish to be considered for higher. Tell me now, or if you prefer seek me later, and we shall come to an understandings. Vaughan..." Her attention trained on the male. "You are needed, Vaughan. Svetlana is heir now, and will need your mentoring that she might learn to be a proper empress of Ebony someday. Will you stay, and keep your rank?" It would be a lot for them to take in, and she hoped they would understand that she what she was trying to do, rather than put a sinister spin on her words. She would do what she had to do, to keep Ebony intact for the Xanilov children. OOC: Second round replies due before next Friday (July 4th) so they're done before the holiday and stuff. Got one more round after this so try to get your characters in quickly so I can post again!